South India Discovery - 11 Days

Chennai - Mahabalipuram. You'll fly into Chennai International Airport, and from here can make your own way to our start hotel in Mahabalipuram.

Mahabalipuram sits on a rocky outcrop between the beach and the lagoon, giving the town a striking coastal setting. Often described as an open-air museum, it is thought to have taken its name from the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I, who adopted the nickname Maha-Malla - meaning great wrestler - in honour of the Pallavas’ favoured sport. The first evening of your tour is at leisure.

You have free time today to relax by the beach. Mahabalipuram Beach stretches along the Bay of Bengal and is known for its striking coastal scenery, with rock-cut sculptures visible along the shoreline. Once an important port for the Pandavas in local tradition, the town remains lively with seaside activities and showcases distinctive Pallava art forms. If you like, you can join one of the below optional activities:

Half-day Mahabalipuram City Tour (minimum 2 pax) Visit Arjuna’s Penance, an extraordinary 7th-century bas-relief carved across two massive boulders. Its finely detailed scenes depict the descent of the Ganges from the Himalayas alongside moments from daily life. You will also see the Five Rathas, remarkable shrines carved entirely from a single rocky outcrop. Each ratha is linked to the heroes of the Mahabharata, and you can spend time admiring the carvings of gods, humans, and elephants while considering why these temples were left unfinished and never consecrated.

Authentic Lunch at a Local Restaurant (minimum 2 pax) Enjoy a traditional Indian meal served in thalai vazhai ilia - the top section of a banana leaf. You will be offered a selection of dishes such as thayir pachadi (curd with vegetables), varuval (deep-fried vegetables), and a variety of kootu and poriyal preparations.

Mahabalipuram - Auroville - Pondicherry. In the morning, we depart for the 2 hour drive to Pondicherry, set along the Bay of Bengal and known for its calm beaches. This distinctive town reflects its past as a French enclave while blending seamlessly with Tamil culture.

En route we visit Auroville, an experimental community founded with the aim of creating a place where people of all nationalities, beliefs, and backgrounds can live a purposeful life together. The settlement features innovative buildings that mix Western and Indian design elements, set along narrow rural roads shaded by lush greenery. Auroville supports itself through agriculture, handicrafts, and alternative technologies.

On arrival in Pondicherry, we check in to the hotel, and you have the rest of the day at leisure.

Pondicherry - Tanjore. After breakfast at the hotel, we drive to Tanjore (5 hours), a lively market town set in one of Tamil Nadu’s key rice-growing regions. Tanjore once served as the capital of the Chola Empire, and although many structures from that era have disappeared, the town remains home to several impressive temples.

En route, we stop at the Dharasuram Temple, originally known as Airavatheshwar, built in honour of Airavath, the white elephant from the gods’ family. On arrival in Tanjore, we check in to the hotel, and you have the remainder of the day at leisure.

Tanjore - Madurai. This morning we explore Tanjore with a visit to the Brihadeeswara Temple, a remarkable structure more than 1,000 years old and now recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tanjore is also known for its tradition of bronze casting, and you will have the opportunity to watch artisans working with the lost-wax method. This technique, used to create sacred bronzes during the Chola period, is still practised today and continues to be passed down through the generations.

We then continue our journey to Madurai (4 hours), a historic city believed to be around 2,500 years old, set along the banks of the River Vaigai. Its busy streets are filled with pilgrims, wandering cattle, open-air kitchens, and colourful bazaars. On arrival, we check in to the hotel.

You have the day at leisure in Madurai, the second-largest city in Tamil Nadu. Often called the Athens of the East for its maze of alleyways and distinctive architectural style, the city offers plenty to explore. You may choose to visit sites such as the Meenakshi Temple, the Tirumalai Nayak Palace, Saint Mary’s Cathedral, the Gandhi Memorial Museum, and more. Consider the below optional tour:

Cycle Rickshaw Tour of the City (minimum 2 pax) Set off on a memorable cycle rickshaw tour of Madurai, giving you the chance to weave through the city’s narrow streets and lanes that reflect everyday local life. As modern transport became popular, cycle rickshaws rapidly disappeared and many of Madurai’s 120 pullers lost their livelihoods. This tour has been created as a responsible tourism initiative, offering the pullers renewed opportunities while encouraging locals to continue using this eco-friendly form of transport. During the tour you will visit the flower, fruit, and spice markets, pause to admire the Thirumalai Nayak Palace, explore the Gandhi Museum, and see small-scale industries such as vessel and cloth making.

Madurai - Periyar National Park. Leaving Madurai, we make the 4.5 hour drive to Periyar, a wildlife sanctuary set nearly 1,800 metres above sea level in the semi and evergreen forests of the Idukki district. Periyar is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna, as well as the Mannan, Paliyan, and Urali communities, who continue to practise traditional methods of herding and beekeeping.

On arrival we check in to the hotel before visiting a local spice plantation. The Cardamom Hills are renowned for their spice gardens, and here we learn how aromatic plants and spices are grown, how they are used in regional cooking, and the role they play in traditional medicine.

Periyar National Park - Kumarakom. Rise early if you would like to join an optional river safari on Lake Periyar.

River Safari on Lake Periyar (minimum 2 guests) This dawn outing offers the best chance to see elephants, deer, wild boar, mongoose, and a variety of birdlife as the forest begins to stir. Your guide leads you to the most reliable viewing points and, with exceptional luck, you may even glimpse an elusive leopard or tiger.

After breakfast at the hotel we depart for Kumarakom, a cluster of small islands set amid a network of tropical waterways. Known for its tranquil scenery, Kumarakom is the ideal base from which to explore the Kerala backwaters.

You have the day at leisure to enjoy the calm surroundings of this lakeside resort. Kumarakom is a small backwater town known for its natural beauty and peaceful setting.

You may choose to spend your free time fishing, arranging a houseboat experience, booking an Ayurvedic massage, or simply watching the sun set over Vembanad Lake.

Kumarakom - Kochi. In the morning, we drive to Kochi, where the European influences become immediately noticeable in this harbour town set across several islands between the Arabian Sea and the Kerala backwaters. Kochi’s long maritime history is reflected in its mix of Dutch, Portuguese, and British architecture. On arrival you have the rest of the day at leisure, or you may choose to join one of the available optional tours:

Kochi City Tour (minimum 2 guests) Explore the historic districts of Mattancherry and Fort Kochi, where European influences are most evident in the merchant houses and old warehouses lining the waterfront and narrow lanes. Visit St Francis Church, the oldest European church in India, and the ornate Santa Cruz Basilica. At the 16th-century Dutch Palace you can admire colourful murals depicting scenes from the Ramayana. The tour also includes time in the bustling spice markets before visiting the famous Chinese fishing nets along the shore of Fort Kochi.

Kathakali Dance Show and Dinner (minimum 2 guests) Watch the Ramayana brought to life through Kathakali, a traditional Keralan dance form known for its expressive gestures, elaborate costumes, and striking facial make-up. After the performance you continue to the waterfront restaurant at Hotel Fort House, set opposite the theatre. Its relaxed setting, cooled by sea breeze and the sound of water against the pier, provides the ideal backdrop for dinner. Seafood dishes, a hallmark of Kerala Latin cuisine, are a speciality here and are prepared with a light hand on spices to retain their home-cooked character.

Your tour comes to an end after breakfast and hotel check-out. No transfer is included, so make your own way to the airport or your next destination.